Breaking Down Monmouth University's 41-40 Victory Over Towson

WEST LONG BRANCH - Monmouth spent much of Saturday trading blows with Towson, but the Hawks’ balance on offense and ability to create the game’s biggest swing proved decisive in a 41-40 win at Kessler Stadium. After erasing a 10-point second-half deficit, Monmouth surged ahead on Amori McNeil’s 71-yard pick-six and reclaimed the lead for good when Frankie Weaver found Gavin Nelson for a 41-yard touchdown, surviving only after Towson missed a potential tying extra point in the final two minutes.

Towson’s 0-6 record is a bit deceiving. Two of their losses came against FBS opponents, Navy and South Carolina, and their four FCS losses, including Monmouth, were by a combined 24 points. They have an ultra-talented quarterback in Andrew Indorf who leads an explosive offense that can score on anybody. Don’t count on Towson going winless this season; they'll surprise a few teams.

The Hawks (4-2, 3-0) trailed 20-17 at the half, and on Towson’s initial possession of the second half, the Tigers put together an eight-play, 75-yard scoring drive that culminated in a spectacular one-handed grab in the back of the end zone by Cleveland Charlton. Now down by 10 points, 27-17, Monmouth scored 17 unanswered points, highlighted by McNeil's pick-six, to take a 34-27 lead with 14:37 remaining in the fourth quarter.

The two teams then traded touchdowns, with Monmouth holding a 41-34 lead after Nelson’s touchdown reception with 5:09 to go. However, the Tigers went 67 yards in eight plays to cut the deficit to one, 41-40, but Towson kicker Zaydaan Faridi’s extra-point attempt was wide right, keeping the Hawks up by one with 1:41 still to play. A 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty after the touchdown forced Faridi to attempt a 35-yard extra-point kick instead of one from the 20-yard line, and the difference proved pivotal. Faridi also bonked one off the left upright in the first quarter, which proved to be decisive as well.

With 1:41 still left in the fourth quarter following the Towson touchdown, the Hawks desperately needed a first down to keep the ball out of Towson’s hands. The Tigers had scored touchdowns on their last two possessions and were moving the ball at will against Monmouth’s defense. Two runs by Elijah Jennings gave them the first down they needed, and following Towson’s final time-out, the Hawks ran out the clock.

“Our guys fought until the end,” said Monmouth head coach Jeff Gallo. “We’ve had a knack for winning these kinds of games, and I’m proud of the effort and really just those guys coming together in the fourth quarter again and finding a way to win. We matched them with some big plays on offense and big plays on defense. We get to 3-0 in conference, and we go into the bye week relatively healthy, and now we just keep building. Just keep improving and learning from wins; we can get so much better.”

KEY FACTORS BEHIND MONMOUTH’S WIN

CARDIAC KIDS: Monmouth has developed a penchant for dramatic endings, pulling off three consecutive victories that came down to the final possession of the game. Against Albany, an epic goal-line stand preserved the Hawks' 28-20 lead with 2:25 left in the fourth quarter. They then ran out the clock behind Smith Jr.’s critical 14-yard run on third-and-9 at their own seven-yard line. In last week's comeback win against Dartmouth, after Sky Sholder kicked a 25-yard go-ahead field goal to give the Hawks a 31-28 lead with 1:09 remaining, the defense forced a long 59-yard field goal attempt that fell short as time expired. And they had us on the edge of our seats again on Saturday. The Hawks have turned the closing minutes into must-see football.

MONMOUTH’S RUSHING ATTACK: The Hawks rushed for 198 yards, averaging 5.1 yards per carry. Jennings ran for 92 yards on 16 attempts for a 5.8 yards per carry average, while redshirt freshman running back Kenny Smith Jr. added 82 yards and a touchdown on 17 attempts for a 4.8 yards per carry average. Transfer Nazir Treadwell chipped in with 18 yards on four carries, including a critical fourth-down conversion run that gave the Hawks a first down and kept their game-winning scoring drive alive.

GAME-CHANGING PICK SIX BY MCNEIL: True freshman star-back Amori McNeil made the biggest play of his young career Saturday, returning an interception 71 yards for a critical go-ahead touchdown. With the score tied 27-27 early in the fourth quarter and Towson inside Hawks territory at the 42-yard line, McNeil grabbed a deflected pass by linebacker Spencer Kishbaugh and bolted down the right sideline untouched into the end zone. Defensive end Jahide Lesaine Jr. pressured the quarterback, forcing Towson quarterback Andrew Indorf to rush his throw. McNeil’s interception was the first of his career and the Hawks' third of the season. Ryan Russo also had a pick-six this season, a 30-yarder against Albany. For his effort, McNeil earned Coastal Athletic Association Rookie of the Week honors.

SHOLDER HITS TWO KEY FIELD GOALS: Redshirt sophomore placekicker Sky Sholder connected on field goals of 40 and 36 yards while going a perfect five-for-five on extra-point kicks. His clutch 36-yarder tied the score at 27-27, handing the Hawks the momentum in the back-and-forth battle. Sholder kicked the winning 25-yard field goal last week against Dartmouth. It would be a huge boost to Monmouth if Sholder can continue to emerge as a dependable weapon.

OFFENSIVE LINE DOMINATES THE TRENCHES ONCE AGAIN: For the third consecutive game, Monmouth’s offensive line did not allow a sack, keeping quarterback Frankie Weaver upright while controlling the line of scrimmage from start to finish. The unit also cleared the way for nearly 200 rushing yards, with the Hawks averaging 5.1 yards per carry and consistently creating the running lanes needed to maintain offensive balance. Monmouth’s offensive line has given up just two sacks this season, tied for second in the country with Lehigh. Only Cornell is ahead, allowing one sack in three games, while the Hawks line has allowed one sack in six games. Monmouth’s offense racked up 416 total yards, with Weaver completing 18-of-27 passes for 218 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. Monmouth’s offense ranks fourth in the CAA in scoring (26.5) and third in total yards per game (388.7).

NELSON SPARKS MONMOUTH’S COMEBACK: Redshirt senior wideout Gavin Nelson had two critical touchdown receptions that ignited Monmouth’s comeback. With the Hawks trailing by ten, 27-17, Nelson gathered in a 13-yard pass from Weaver to pull the Hawks within three, 27-24. On the play, Nelson beat his man to the back corner of the end zone, and Weaver laid it in perfectly. Then, on a Weaver play-action pass, Nelson broke free on a fly pattern and hauled in a Weaver 41-yard pass to give the Hawks the lead for good, 41-34. Nelson finished with eight receptions for 100 yards and two touchdowns. It was the first time this season that Nelson hit the century mark in reception yardage. He now has 38 receptions for 400 yards and four touchdowns. Fellow wideout Tra Neal added four catches for 86 yards, and tight end Greg Genross was on the receiving end of a six-yard Weaver scoring strike.

DEFENSE NEEDS TO BE MORE CONSISTENT: The defense has a knack for making splash plays, but its overall performance has a lot to be desired. On Saturday, Towson converted 9-of-16 third-down plays and 2-of-2 on fourth down, including one drive where the Hawks defense couldn't stop third-and-24 and fourth-and-15 plays before surrendering an eight-yard touchdown run by Indorf on a scramble. On the Tigers' second scoring drive of the game, they converted three consecutive third-down plays, including the last one, which resulted in a touchdown and a 13-10 lead. Indorf threw for 279 yards and four touchdowns as the Tigers rolled up 375 yards of total offense. After Monmouth took the lead, 34-27, the defense allowed back-to-back Towson scoring drives, including a nine-play, 75-yard drive that pulled the Tigers to within 41-40. The defense did have its moments, though. They held Towson to 96 rushing yards and a stingy 2.5 yards per carry average. Following Weaver’s interception with the Hawks trailing 20-17 right before the half, Towson had a second-and-10 at the Monmouth 31-yard line, looking to go up by 10 points. But edge Mounir Keshen and tackle J.J. Lewis combined to sack Indorf, who was also called for intentional grounding. The defense then forced a punt as time ran out on the half. Late in the third quarter, Lewis sacked Indorf for eight yards; then, on third-and-17, Jaisen McClendon Parker broke up a long pass intended for Charlton, forcing a punt. Monmouth then kicked a field goal on the ensuing possession to tie the game, 27-27. Lewis finished with four tackles and 1.5 sacks. Edge Hunter Watson recorded six tackles, including a sack, two TFL and a QB hit. In all, the Hawks defense registered four sacks and five TFL. Safety Jaeden Jones had 11 tackles, including six solo stops and pass defended. Jones is tied for tenth in the country in tackles per game with 10.2.

In the most recent AFCA FCS Coaches Poll, released today, the Hawks are ranked 24th in the country.